§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the numbers of British fishing vessels engaged in monofilament net fishing in (a) North sea fishing grounds north of the Scottish border and (b) Scottish waters in each of the last three years; and what is his estimate of the value and volume of the catch landed in Scotland from such vessels.
§ Mr. John MacKay[pursuant to his reply, 5 5, June 1986, c. 605]: No estimates are available for 1983. The estimates for 1984 and 1985 for Scottish vessels are:
Number of vessels Weight of catch in tonnes Value £ 1984 *(a) 10 18 10,400 †(b) 30 54 28,000 1985 *(a) 13 9 7,200 †(b) 40 50 25,000 * Reliable information is not available about the number of other British fishing vessles fishing with monofilament nets in North sea fishing grounds north of the Scottish border and outside Scottish inshore waters. However in 1984, four English vessels landed 14 tonnes of demersal fish, valued at £ 11,000 at Scottish ports, In 1985, two such vessels landed 30 tonnes valued at £ 20,000. These vessels may have used multifilament rather than monofilament nets. † There is no record of any landings at Scottish ports in 1984 or 1985 by other British fishing vessels fishing with monofilament nets in Scottish inshore waters.